The sense of urgency brought about by the exhaustion of lifespan blanketed Jingzhou. No matter how desperately the ancient cultivators struggled, it was all in vain.
It most likely involved rules unique to the immortal positions. The three immortal positions were intertwined with one another, making them difficult to influence even for True Immortals.
Under such circumstances, it was like a silent plague.
The drawbacks of nearing the end of one's lifespan quickly swept across every corner of Jingzhou.
Whether young or old, male or female, everyone in Jingzhou sensed that something was wrong with their bodies.
Their skin began to wither, their bones became increasingly brittle and porous, their internal organs continuously failed, and even their brains gradually forgot their memories.
Death had always been a curse. In the present Jingzhou, that curse had been accelerated countless times over, affecting without exception every soul that had come from ancient times.
Jingzhou had already descended into madness. Nearly every Gu insect in the wilderness had been captured, resulting in vast numbers of ordinary people becoming Insect Warriors.
None of them considered how Gu insects should actually be refined. They chose the most primitive method of fusing them with flesh and blood, hoping to escape death through that alone.
All of this stemmed from a single rumor that had spread from Hopeless City in the southwestern corner of Jingzhou.
"Gu insects can extend one's lifespan."
In reality, refining Gu insects in such a crude manner only affected both body and soul. They might not even live as long as they otherwise would have.
Of course, in the short term, Insect Warriors really did possess more strength than ordinary elderly people.
The Daoist and Buddhist factions had no intention of waiting helplessly for death. They wanted to advance the art of Gu refinement in search of the severed path ahead, so they immediately confirmed the rumor.
Using unorthodox methods, they maintained youthful appearances. Although their flesh and bones continued to decay, they truly did give ordinary people hope.
Every faction secretly searched for traces of the Insect Nest, hoping to obtain more Human-Insect souls, but the Human-Insects had suddenly vanished without a trace.
Everything was futile.
Minghe Tea House had completely lost its business. Ren Qing no longer needed to act as the hands-off shopkeeper, while Li Yaoyang and the zombie waiters had temporarily returned to the Stomach World.
Standing by the window, he flipped through the methods Li Yaoyang had compiled. Using disease strains to indirectly control the Heavenly Dao Insects appeared to be highly feasible.
From the corner of his eye, Ren Qing observed Sanxiang City. It had already become a living hell.
Looking across the streets, every single civilian without exception had become a grotesquely twisted Insect Warrior.
Some retained ordinary human upper bodies, while their lower halves had transformed into the many-legged bodies of centipedes. Others had heads whose facial features had become hollow cavities, with maggot-like creatures constantly crawling in and out, seemingly replacing their normal five senses.
In front of a distant temple, Abbot Liaoque stood atop a wooden platform, passionately leading Gu-transformed believers in chanting scriptures.
Behind him stood a Thousand-Hand Guanyin that was half human and half insect, whose countless arms had all become insect limbs.
As Jingzhou descended into madness, the people's understanding of the world also underwent a dramatic transformation.
The suspended Daoist Tianxu had already had the black cloth covering him removed. Hundreds of Insect Warriors worshiped him as though he were an immortal Buddha.
Those unwilling to refine Gu insects, or unable to obtain them, locked themselves inside their homes and could only wait for death to arrive.
Ren Qing stored the Gu insect cultivation methods inside the Treasure Pavilion. The contents truly had great value, yet the Insect Nest seemed to have vanished completely.
Since the Insect Nest refused to make a move, he could hardly force the issue by going after them.
The situation in Jingzhou became increasingly difficult to understand.
Ren Qing had even tested things using Huang Gou'er. The result was that no matter how much Corpse Food or other longevity materials the people of Jingzhou consumed, they could not extend their lives by even a single day or hour.
It was as though Jingzhou had a predetermined ending that was gradually revealing itself.
"Shopkeeper..."
Huang Gou'er's aged voice rang out. Ren Qing turned around to see that he now looked to be in his forties or fifties, and even walking had become difficult.
Most civilians without parasitic Gu insects had become just like Huang Gou'er, old and nearing death.
Ren Qing sighed and said, "Huang Gou'er, go get some more rest. Since you're ill, you need to take good care of yourself."
Looking at Ren Qing's completely unchanged appearance, Huang Gou'er asked with reverence, "Shopkeeper, you're an immortal, aren't you?"
Ren Qing nodded and said nothing further. Huang Gou'er's soul had already begun dissipating. Unless he attained immortality, nothing could alter the cycle of life and death.
"So immortals really do exist..."
Muttering to himself, Huang Gou'er returned to his room. With the state of his memory, it probably wouldn't be long before he forgot everything Ren Qing had just said.
Ren Qing gazed upon the absurd Sanxiang City. The ancient cultivators hysterically guided the people, exhausting every possible method in their search for the path toward the Great Dao.
Hei Shuizi was covered in blood as he stuffed chunks of Daoist Tianxu's flesh into his mouth.
"I'll become an immortal soon! Once I do, I'll transcend the limits of lifespan, while all of you will die! But I'll live forever!"
"Daoist Master, save me! I don't want to die!"
"Immortal Master, you told me to place the Ox Heart Gu inside my heart and lungs. I did it! What should I do next? Please don't let me die..."
Ren Qing helplessly shook his head. After placing Huang Gou'er into the Stomach World, he vanished from the devastated Sanxiang City.
After his departure, Minghe Tea House lost the protection of the Heavenly Demon Tribulation. Before long, several Insect Warriors flooded into the main hall, performing blood sacrifices and praying to the Gu-transformed immortal Buddhas.
Compared to the madness on the surface, the underground Insect Nest was undoubtedly much calmer.
Through the spies he had arranged, Ren Qing discovered that the Insect Nest continued expanding rapidly. The number of Heavenly Dao Insect People had already surged to sixty or seventy thousand.
It was evident that the Insect Nest possessed some means of transferring Heavenly Dao Insect People from elsewhere.
The Broodmother was clearly aware of the mastermind's arrangements and acted without the slightest restraint.
The Insect Nest now possessed seventy or eighty Heavenly Dao Insect People at the Yang Spirit Realm, all quietly waiting for the exhaustion of their lifespans.
Even though the Insect Nest reproduced at an astonishing rate, if so many Yang Spirit Realm cultivators all died in Jingzhou, it would still shake their foundation.
The Broodmother therefore most likely knew that the situation in Jingzhou would not continue worsening.
Ren Qing realized he had still underestimated the Insect Nest. In this era where no one could attain immortality, any force possessing multiple Heavenly Aberration Realm experts unquestionably stood at the very peak.
Meanwhile, the Wind Void People remained hidden within the remote mountain ranges on Jingzhou's outskirts.
After they entered the Minor Heavenly Court, Ren Qing had secretly used the Zhili Technique to influence Feng Ye, telling the Wind Void People not to enter Jingzhou's interior for the time being.
The other factions likewise remained inactive. They had probably realized from observing the Insect Nest that some unforeseen upheaval was about to occur within Jingzhou.
Time continued to pass until only the final three days remained.
Only then did the madness finally come to a halt.
Even Insect Warriors gradually lost all strength when faced with the exhaustion of their lifespan. The streets were now filled with bodies whose status as living or dead was impossible to determine.
The ancient cultivators locked themselves inside underground chambers they had excavated beforehand, attempting to dream of becoming immortals after death.
Standing atop a mountain peak, Ren Qing overlooked the suddenly silent Jingzhou.
His gaze rested upon the southern forest, where Gu Immortal was still making one final desperate struggle, trying to locate the true position of the Insect Nest.
Gu Immortal had grown to five or six meters tall. His body resembled a hill composed of countless Gu insects, creating an unsettling sight.
But his lifespan had likewise reached its end, and he lay collapsed within the dense forest.
Panting heavily, Gu Immortal could not help gazing southward, as though he could see Xiangxiang with its distinct four seasons, while Old Tang's dying wish echoed in his ears.
His circumstances were highly unusual. After realizing the drawbacks of advancing too quickly, he had sought to use Gu insects to advance into the Yin Difference Realm.
In theory, once he reached the Yin Difference Realm and the Gu insects underwent their transformation, Gu Immortal himself would also escape the loss of control over his own body.
At the time, several hundred Human-Insects had followed him. Without harming their lives, he could use their nourishment to push himself into the Yin Difference Realm.
Thus, Gu Immortal had not hesitated to activate the Ant Shepherd Gu. Nourished by an enormous supply of nutrients, his body's condition had indeed begun showing signs of improvement.
Unfortunately, despite every precaution, several natives of Jingzhou had been mixed among the Human-Insects carrying Aphid Ox Gu.
While absorbing the nourishment provided by the Aphid Ox Gu, Gu Immortal's lifespan also became identical to that of the Jingzhou natives, leaving him with only a few days remaining.
Once his lifespan began running out, the nourishment he required naturally increased, and several hundred Human-Insects were drained into dried corpses.
Gu Immortal dragged himself forward another few steps, his heart filled with unwillingness.
The Attached Elephant Armor Gu began transforming, advancing toward the Yin Difference Realm Formless Elephant Strength Gu. Endless power continuously emerged alongside the Gu insect.
Yet even that could not alter the inevitable destruction of body and soul brought about by the exhaustion of lifespan. Only death awaited him.
Half kneeling on the ground, Gu Immortal looked back upon his life and discovered that he felt no regret whatsoever. Instead, his obsession with attaining immortality and transcending karma only deepened, allowing his inner demon to take root.
"If there's... another life... I will... become an immortal..."
Ren Qing appeared beside Gu Immortal. The latter had already completely lost consciousness, yet his eyes remained wide open, staring toward distant Jingzhou.
"Is there really another life?"
Ren Qing glanced at the sun as it disappeared beyond the horizon. Jingzhou had finally entered the final countdown of twelve double-hours.
He had just been about to bring Gu Immortal's corpse into the Stomach World. After all, it had reached the Yin Difference Realm, so refining it into a zombie should have considerable potential.
But at that very moment, Gu Immortal's corpse slowly began to break apart, transforming into tiny particles of flesh that drifted upward into the sky.
Ren Qing frowned. He discovered that every ordinary person's corpse throughout Jingzhou was undergoing the same process, even those already buried underground.
Only Huang Gou'er, who remained inside the Stomach World, had a corpse that was not gradually decomposing.
After hesitating for a moment, Ren Qing ultimately threw Huang Gou'er into the surging Yellow Springs, allowing death qi to transform him into a zombie.
He had no idea what was happening in Jingzhou. Could it be that thousands of years ago, everyone had likewise inexplicably exhausted their lifespan before their souls scattered and vanished?
To be safe, Ren Qing left Jingzhou's surface and excavated a cave dwelling a thousand meters underground, secretly observing the tremendous changes taking place throughout Jingzhou.
The corpses decomposed extremely slowly, only disappearing completely after several months.
By then, every city and town in Jingzhou had suddenly fallen into silence.
It was exactly like what Chen Changsheng had encountered when he first arrived in Xiangxiang years ago. Every ordinary person had vanished without a trace, while the cities themselves remained completely unchanged.
Ren Qing kept watching the movements of the Insect Nest. They seemed to be expanding their underground tunnels toward the cities currently located throughout Jingzhou.
As for the mastermind, there wasn't the slightest trace of their appearance, as though they had never existed at all.
Just as the Insect Nest continued its rapid expansion, the various factions responded differently, with some choosing to occupy those now-empty cities.
At the same time, Heavenly Aberration Realm cultivators from outside Jingzhou also began making their way toward it.
'Remaining lifespan: None'